2. take up by hand; - Example: "He picked up the book and started to read"

3. give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift; - Example: "We picked up a hitchhiker on the highway"

4. gather or collect; - Example: "You can get the results on Monday"- Example: "She picked up the children at the day care center"- Example: "They pick up our trash twice a week"[syn: collect, pick up, gather up, call for]

14. perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily; - Example: "I caught the aroma of coffee"- Example: "He caught the allusion in her glance"- Example: "ears open to catch every sound"- Example: "The dog picked up the scent"- Example: "Catch a glimpse"[syn: catch, pick up]

pick up
v 1: take and lift upward [syn: pick up, lift up, gather
up]
2: take up by hand; "He picked up the book and started to read"
3: give a passenger or a hitchhiker a lift; "We picked up a
hitchhiker on the highway"
4: gather or collect; "You can get the results on Monday"; "She
picked up the children at the day care center"; "They pick up
our trash twice a week" [syn: collect, pick up, gather
up, call for]
5: get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally; "I
learned that she has two grown-up children"; "I see that you
have been promoted" [syn: learn, hear, get word, get
wind, pick up, find out, get a line, discover,
see]
6: get in addition, as an increase; "The candidate picked up
thousands of votes after his visit to the nursing home"
7: take into custody; "the police nabbed the suspected
criminals" [syn: collar, nail, apprehend, arrest,
pick up, nab, cop]
8: buy casually or spontaneously; "I picked up some food for a
snack"
9: register (perceptual input); "pick up a signal" [syn: pick
up, receive]
10: lift out or reflect from a background; "The scarf picks up
the color of the skirt"; "His eyes picked up his smile"
11: meet someone for sexual purposes; "he always tries to pick
up girls in bars"
12: fill with high spirits; fill with optimism; "Music can
uplift your spirits" [syn: elate, lift up, uplift,
pick up, intoxicate] [ant: cast down, deject,
demoralise, demoralize, depress, dismay, dispirit,
get down]
13: improve significantly; go from bad to good; "Her performance
in school picked up" [syn: turn around, pick up]
14: perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarily;
"I caught the aroma of coffee"; "He caught the allusion in
her glance"; "ears open to catch every sound"; "The dog
picked up the scent"; "Catch a glimpse" [syn: catch, pick
up]
15: eat by pecking at, like a bird [syn: peck, pick up]
16: gain or regain energy; "I picked up after a nap" [syn: perk
up, perk, percolate, pick up, gain vigor]